DOCSLIB.ORG

The Effect of the Laser Incidence Angle in the Surface of L-PBF

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Effect of the Laser Incidence Angle in the Surface of L-PBF coatings Article The Effect of the Laser Incidence Angle in the Surface of L-PBF Processed Parts Sara Sendino 1,* , Marc Gardon 2, Fernando Lartategui 3 , Silvia Martinez 1 and Aitzol Lamikiz 1 1 Aerospace Advance Manufacturing Research Center-CFAA, P. Tecnológico de Bizkaia 202, 48170 Zamudio, Spain; [email protected] (S.M.); [email protected] (A.L.) 2 EMEA AM Applications Manager, Renishaw Ibérica, Carrer de la Recerca 7, 08850 Barcelona, Spain; [email protected] 3 UO Structures & Statics, ITP Aero, P. Tecnológico de Bizkaia 300, 48170 Zamudio, Spain; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 29 September 2020; Accepted: 22 October 2020; Published: 24 October 2020 Abstract: The manufacture of multiple parts on the same platform is a common procedure in the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) process. The main advantage is that the entire working volume of the machine is used and a greater number of parts are obtained, thus reducing inert gas volume, raw powder consumption, and manufacturing time. However, one of the main disadvantages of this method is the possible differences in quality and surface finish of the different parts manufactured on the same platform depending on their orientation and location, even if they are manufactured with the same process parameters and raw powder material. Throughout this study, these surface quality differences were studied, focusing on the variation of the surface roughness with the angle of incidence of the laser with respect to the platform. First, a characterization test was carried out to understand the behavior of the laser in the different areas of the platform. Then, the surface roughness, microstructure, and minimum thickness of vertical walls were analyzed in the different areas of the platform. These results were related to the angle of incidence of the laser. As it was observed, the laser is completely perpendicular only in the center of the platform, whilst at the border of the platform, due to the incidence angle, it melts an elliptical area, which affects the roughness and thickness of the manufactured part. The roughness increases from values of Sa = 5.489 µm in the central part of the platform to 27.473 µm at the outer borders while the thickness of the manufactured thin walls increases around 40 µm. Keywords: roughness; incidence angle; additive manufacturing; L-PBF; INCONEL718 1. Introduction Laser technology has been widely used in different industrial processes for many years, due to the characteristics of the laser source: high energy density, high efficiency, large temperature gradients, high repeatability of the process, and formation of a narrow heat-affected zone (HAZ) [1]. Nowadays, it is possible to find various research works on laser technologies such as laser welding [2,3], cutting [4,5], remelting [6,7], additive technologies [8,9] . thus demonstrating the importance of the development of these technologies. Due to the great development that the different technologies based on metal additive manufacturing (AM) have had in recent years, it seems reasonable that one of the most researched and promising metal AM process is the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) technology. This technology, also known by commercial names as Selective Laser Melting (SLM) or Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), is being applied for the direct manufacturing of functional components in different sectors [10,11]. Coatings 2020, 10, 1024; doi:10.3390/coatings10111024 www.mdpi.com/journal/coatings Coatings 2020, 10, 1024 2 of 12 In the L-PBF process, the final part is manufactured directly using powder as raw material. This powder is homogeneously distributed by a recoater in constant thickness layers of 20 to 60 µm. Once the recoater has distributed a layer of powder, a laser beam melts the powder within an area, which has been previously specified in the CAD (Computer-Aided Design) file. Once the complete layer has been processed, the platform lowers the thickness of a layer and the process is repeated layer-by-layer until the full part is obtained [12]. This technology presents many advantages compared to conventional machining technologies such as the ability to manufacture geometrically complex parts [10,13,14]. In addition, L-PBF also presents advantages above other AM technologies as Spierings [15] showed. One of these advantages is the wide range of alloys with very different properties and characteristics that can be processed. Thus, different applications and studies can be found with high toughness Ti-TiB composites [16,17], high-density alloys such as Cu-10Sn bronze [18], high-resistant alloys such as Al85Nd8Ni5Co2 [19], or high modulus of elasticity and mechanical strength CNTs/AlSi10Mg [20]. Therefore, L-PBF process is of special interest in sectors such as health and aerospace due to the possibility of obtaining complex parts in a wide range of available materials [10]. However, L-PBF technology has several limitations, particularly related to the poor surface finish and the need for final post-processing of the manufactured parts [10]. The parts manufactured using L-PBF show roughness values Ra between 3.2 and 12.5 µm [13], whereas conventional technologies obtain roughness values between 1–2 µm [11]. Surface quality is a critical attribute in the aerospace and medical sectors since surface imperfections caused by roughness could impact the performance of the part. Therefore, surface roughness is a well-researched crack initiator [12], reducing the life-span of the end part due to lower tensile and fatigue strength [10]. In the medical domain, rough surfaces can accumulate more micro-organisms than a smooth surface, requiring a finishing operation in many applications in the health sector [21]. Furthermore, roughness has a significant effect on the tribological behavior of the surface in applications where the friction between surfaces is present. Nowadays, in order to minimize the roughness and to achieve functional parts with real applicability, finishing operations are carried out. However, the finishing operation of parts manufactured using L-PBF technology is frequently very complex due to the geometrical complexity of the parts [22]. In addition, the finishing process increases considerably the manufacturing time and cost of the part [12] since most of the finishing processes involve manual operations. Moreover, sometimes it is not possible to finish some areas such as internal ducts or hollow cavities [23]. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the roughness as much as possible in the additive manufacturing process itself before finishing the final part. The resultant roughness can be originated by different factors. On the one hand, the process parameters during manufacturing play an important role in the resulting roughness [22,24–26]. In this sense, it is necessary to adjust parameters such as laser power, exposure time, the distance between points, and overlapping. Some previous studies state that the use of higher laser power reduces roughness, since it increases the wettability of each layer [12], while other studies show that excessive laser power can lead to spatters of excessively oxidized particles, which would also increase roughness [23]. In addition, excessive laser power will lead to higher porosity. Thus, it is necessary to find a balance between the laser power and scan speed to ensure acceptable roughness and other properties such as porosity [11,12,23]. In addition, another process parameter that influences the roughness is the thickness of the layer used [27]. In any case, even when the optimal parameters are being used, the surface roughness can be very different depending on the position of the part in the machine [28], due to the direction of the inert gas in the manufacturing chamber [29], or the angle of incidence [28] and the geometry being processed. One of the most affected areas by roughness is the downskin area. Downskin areas are those that have not had molten material in the lower layer and have been built over non-melted powder. In this case, Coatings 2020, 10, 1024 3 of 12 Coatingssome of2020 these, 10, xpowder FOR PEER particles REVIEW remain partially attached to the processed layer when the layer3 meltsof 12 and re-solidifies during manufacturing [30]. ThereThere may may be be other other effects effects such such as as partial partial melting melting of of powder powder particles particles due due to to heat heat transfer transfer when when severalseveral parts parts are are manufactured manufactured on on the the same same platfo platform.rm. When When different different parts parts are are manufactured manufactured very very closeclose to to each each other, other, the the accumulated accumulated heat heat of of one one part part may may affect affect the the adjacent, adjacent, causing causing its its surface surface temperaturetemperature to to rise, rise, resulting resulting in in partially partially melt melt powder powder particles particles that that will will attach attach to the to thesurface surface [21]. [ 21A]. similarA similar effect eff ectcan can be beobserved observed in inthe the case case of oflarge large parts, parts, where where a ahigh high number number of of layers layers need need to to be be processedprocessed and and the the generated generated heat heat into into the the manufactur manufacturinging chamber chamber is is also also higher. higher. It It should should also also be be notednoted that thisthis roughness roughness due due to theto particlesthe particle attacheds attached
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Unraveling Resistive Versus Collisional Contributions to Relativistic Electron Beam Stopping Power in Cold-Solid and in Warm-Dense Plasmas B
    Unraveling resistive versus collisional contributions to relativistic electron beam stopping power in cold-solid and in warm-dense plasmas B. Vauzour,1, 2 A. Debayle,3, 4 X. Vaisseau,1 S. Hulin,1 H.-P. Schlenvoigt,5 D. Batani,1, 6 S.D. Baton,5 J.J. Honrubia,3 Ph. Nicola¨ı,1 F.N. Beg,7 R. Benocci,6 S. Chawla,7 M. Coury,8 F. Dorchies,1 C. Fourment,1 E. d'Humi`eres,1 L.C. Jarrot,7 P. McKenna,8 Y.J. Rhee,9 V.T. Tikhonchuk,1 L. Volpe,6 V. Yahia,5 and J.J. Santos1, a) 1)Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, CEA, CELIA (Centre Lasers Intenses et Applications), UMR 5107, F-33405 Talence, France 2)Laboratoire d'Optique Appliqu´ee,ENSTA-CNRS-Ecole Polytechnique, UMR 7639, 91761 Palaiseau, France 3)ETSI Aeron´auticos, Universidad Polit´ecnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain 4)CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon, France 5)LULI, Ecole Polytechnique CNRS/CEA/UPMC, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex, France 6)Dipartimento di Fisica, Universit`adi Milano-Bicocca, Milano 20126, Italy 7)University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA 8)SUPA, Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG, United Kingdom 9)Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Daejon 305-600, Korea (Dated: 18 February 2014) We present results on laser-driven relativistic electron beam propagation through aluminum samples, which are either solid and cold, or compressed and heated by laser-induced shock. A full numerical description of fast electron generation and transport is found to reproduce the experimental absolute Kα yield and spot size measurements for varying target thickness, and to sequentially quantify the collisional and resistive electron stopping powers.
    [Show full text]
  • Influence of the Conditions of Selective Laser Melting on Evaporation
    MATEC Web of Conferences 224, 01060 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201822401060 ICMTMTE 2018 Influence of the conditions of selective laser melting on evaporation Roman S. Khmyrov1,*, Сyrill E. Protasov1, and Andrey V. Gusarov1 1Moscow State University of Technology “STANKIN”, 127055, Vadkovskii per. 1, Moscow, Russia Abstract. The paper presents the results of optical diagnostics of evaporation and displacement of powder fractions during the formation of a single track in the process of selective laser melting. The velocity of the powder fractions is estimated. It was defined, that an increase in the scanning speed leads to an decrease in the particle coming out rate from the molten pool and the rate at which they are attracted. The results allow evaluating the kinetics of the mass-transfer process during selective laser melting. It was clearly shown the material quality properties after the selective laser melting are strongly influenced by the formed thermal field in the laser-irradiated zone. 1 Introduction Laser material processing becomes already quite common in the modern industry, for example such processes as laser cutting, welding, drilling, marking. Technologies of additive manufacturing (growing) of parts from metal powders are also becoming more popular and characterizing by fundamentally different manufacturing strategy: layer by layer. It should be mentioned, that the lack of theoretical apparatus describing the process technology is the fundamental problem in the field of laser treatment. Such fundamental problems which are necessary to solve are: powder consolidation kinetics and its dependence of process parameters, intensive powder release (slopping) from powder consolidation zone: its causes, methods of influence on it; physical mechanisms leading to geometry instability of fused bead, instability at overcharged and undercharged scanning speeds of the laser beam relative to the optimal values, mechanisms of integration of individual track in a single one.
    [Show full text]
  • Flow Diagnostics Produced by Selective Laser Melting of Cutting Nozzles
    Lasers in Manufacturing Conference 2015 Flow diagnostics produced by selective laser melting of cutting nozzles S.Ulricha, S.Lorenza S. Jahna, S.Sändiga, B.Fleckb aGünter-Köhler-Institut für Fügetechnik und Werkstoffprüfung GmbH bErnst-Abbe-Hochschule Jena Abstract The increasing spread of laser technology in materials processing leads inter alia increasingly individual solution strategies in order to cope with the growing demands on the process control. The focus of this work is the fluidic analysis of the cutting nozzles, which were usually produced either by selective laser melting or conventional methods. The Schlieren measurement was utilized in order to visualize flows. Through the adjustment of optical components, the Schlieren-Aufnahmegerät 80 was coupled with a high speed camera. Based on these measurement results, the influence of manufacturing technology has been evaluated on the flow behaviour. With the help of cutting tests a direct proof of the achievable quality of the cutting edge has been evaluated. The results from both research methods provide a statement on the quality of the gas stream and the achievable cutting quality of manufacturing technology. Keywords: laser cutting, selektiv laser melting, nozzle, flow visualization 1. Introduction Nowadays, the decisive factors for financial success are on the one hand innovative products, and on the other hand the acquisition of knowledge through research and development. In materials processing, the application of lasers in technological fields like cutting and welding, enables shorter lead times. The understanding of the process plays a crucial role for the quality of the component. Regarding cutting, the quality of the cut edge and the dimensional accuracy is affected by many parameters.
    [Show full text]
  • Acrylic-Processing-Guide.Pdf
    Laser Processing Guide working with acrylic www.troteclaser.com www.trotec-materials.com Acrylic is becoming an increasingly popular manufacturing material used across many industries for a wide range of products such as signs, displays and trophies, to name a few. It is highly versatile, durable, aesthetically pleasing, and processes well with a laser. For many, acrylic is a convenient and affordable alternative to glass because it’s largely impact-resistant and weighs about half as much, but still offers a high level of clarity. A laser is a highly effective and efficient way to cut, mark or engrave acrylic. Including general processing instructions and pointers, time-saving tricks and troubleshooting advice, the following guide was designed to help new laser users as well as intermediate users improve their acrylic processing technique and results. With a little practice and a few pointers, you will be able to use your laser to create perfectly polished acrylic edges, engrave intricate details, and produce precise cuts and contours. Getting 01 Started Engraving Processing Techniques and 02 Recommended Settings Cutting Processing Techniques and 03 Recommended Settings Common 05 Mistakes Trouble 06 Shooting Getting Started Acrylic materials come in a wide range of color, texture, and finish combinations. There are three main types of acrylic: Cell Cast Acrylic that is cast into shapes • Laser engraving appears frosted • Laser cutting easy Continuous Cast Acrylic that is continuously casted into sheets using a sheet shape molded on an assembly line • Laser engraving appears frosted • Laser cutting easy Extruded • Laser engraving is translucent, making it difficult to see • Can be easily cut with a laser using lower power settings.
    [Show full text]
  • Techniques in Laser Cutting and Engraving Leather
    Where the Laser Meets the Leather: Techniques in Laser Cutting and Engraving Leather SARAH PIKE If you had ever told me that, as an artist trained in traditional figurative painting who works in stone lithography, I would end up running a laser cutting business, I wouldn't have believed you. But it was through my printmaking discipline and sensibilities that I came to work with laser cutting. And today I draw great satisfaction in helping artists—primarily bookbinders—bridge the gap between handcraft and new technologies. In this article I will share a variety of laser cutting and engraving techniques for working with leather and parchment. A Look at What's Possible Laser cutters, which vaporize material using a pulsating That said, the question I most often get is, “Can you cut beam of light, perform three main tasks: they cut, line metal?” The answer is no: a fiber laser is needed for engrave, and area engrave. When the laser cuts or line laser cutting metal. Due to their size and cost, fiber engraves, it follows the path of the line; when it area lasers are more often found at businesses that service engraves it moves back and forth like an ink-jet printer. industrial companies. Note that in this context, engraving refers to the partial removal of material that can be performed at multiple While I'll try to be as specific as possible, so many depths (fig. 1). variables come into play that it's difficult to give universal guidelines. Laser cutter settings can vary greatly depending on how the leather was processed, the dye used, what part of the skin is being used, and the life of the animal.
    [Show full text]
  • Analysis of Stainless Steel Waste Products Generated During Laser Cutting in Nitrogen Atmosphere
    Article Analysis of Stainless Steel Waste Products Generated during Laser Cutting in Nitrogen Atmosphere Maciej Zubko 1,2,* , Jan Loskot 2 , Paweł Swiec´ 1 , Krystian Prusik 1 and Zbigniew Janikowski 3 1 Institute of Materials Engineering, University of Silesia in Katowice, 75 Pułku Piechoty 1a, 41-500 Chorzów, Poland; [email protected] (P.S.);´ [email protected] (K.P.) 2 Department of Physics, University of Hradec Králové, Rokitanského 62, 500-03 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic; [email protected] 3 “Silver” PPHU, ul. Rymera 4, 44-270 Rybnik, Poland; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +48-32-3497-509; Fax: +48-32-3497-594 Received: 22 October 2020; Accepted: 23 November 2020; Published: 25 November 2020 Abstract: Laser cutting technology is one of the basic approaches used for thermal processing of parts fabricated from almost all engineering materials. Various types of lasers are utilized in the industry with different attendant gases such as nitrogen or argon. When the laser beam interacts with a metal surface, the area underneath is heated to the melting point. This liquid or vaporized metal is ejected from the kerf area to the surrounding atmosphere by attendant gas and becomes undesirable waste in the form of powder. In the presented work, the X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy methods were used to analyze AISI 304 stainless steel, which was cut by a semiconductor fiber laser, and the waste powder generated during the laser cutting process. The results suggest that this waste material may be reused for industrial applications such as additive manufacturing.
    [Show full text]
  • Cost-Effective Cutting Through Thick and Thin 2 Application Trulaser
    TruLaser Cost-effective cutting through thick and thin 2 Application TruLaser The best solution for your application The right laser for your cutting application, the right machine for your production, the automation that matches your material flow – this is what TRUMPF delivers. Our large range of laser cutting machines assures that you receive the right product. The vital questions for choosing the right machine are about your situation: What are your requirements regarding material and quality? How high is your average capacity? What do you need to make your manufacturing as cost-ef- fective as possible? Laser cutting is not only about cutting times. The entire process is important. Intelligent functions, for instance, help to design single processing steps in a smarter way. A large service network supports you if necessary. With TRUMPF, you receive su itable solutions: perfectly balanced, highly productive and passionately crafted. TruLaser Contents 3 Choose the laser that best suits your application. CO2 or solid-state? Design your processes efficiently and use the full 4 – 7 potential of your machine. More output with intelligent functions 8 – 9 Get to know the TruLaser machines. Our machines in detail 10 – 27 In this section you can find an overview of the technical details of all TruLaser machines. Technical data 28 – 31 Select the right automation solution or switch directly over to the fully automatic laser machine. Automation and TruLaser Center 7030 32 – 37 With our TruConnect solutions, we support you every step of the way to implementation of your Smart Factory. With TruServices, you enjoy the benefits of a Take control quotation that goes far beyond the machine itself.
    [Show full text]
  • Laser Cutting & Engraving & Design in Illustrator
    Laser Cutting & Engraving & design in Illustrator Open Lab @ Alumni By the end of this workshop, you should be able to: Create or import a design in Illustrator that is suitable for laser cutting / engraving ❏ Make cut lines the correct stroke weight Increase contrast in most images to be engraved (trial and error) Describe how to select an appropriate material for a given job ❏ Based on safety (fumes, fire hazard) Based on capabilities of laser (thickness, hardness, reflectivity) Explain the process of finding the best settings for cutting or engraving using trial and error ❏ Enter material-specific laser settings in Illustrator ❏ List all personal safety hazards involved in using the laser cutter ❏ Locate and explain the use of the fire extinguisher ❏ Turn laser, fan, and pump on/off ❏ Focus laser ❏ Send project from Illustrator to laser cutter ❏ Clean up any detritus or sawdust inside the laser cutter ❏ Describe how to reserve the equipment and for how long ❏ Explain the Open Lab laser on-site policy ❏ You must stay and observe the laser the entire time it is running to prevent uncontrolled fire Overview - Design in Adobe Illustrator - Choose material - Set up the laser cutter - Power on - Focus - Choose & enter material-specific laser settings - Send job to laser - Cut & engrave - Clean up Designing in Adobe Illustrator for laser - Setting up artboard size - Must use inches as unit - Stroke width for cutting less than or equal to .001 inches - Everything thicker is engraved - Importing an image - For engraving - How to invert colors
    [Show full text]
  • First Application of Laser Arc Hybrid Welding to Commercial Ship,Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Technical Review Vol.47 No.3(2010)
    Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Technical Review Vol. 47 No. 3 (September 2010) 59 First Application of Hybrid Laser-arc Welding to Commercial Ships HIROSHI KOGA*1 HOZUMI GODA*2 SHIN TERADA*3 KAZUHIRO HIROTA*3 SHIN NAKAYAMA*4 SHUHO TSUBOTA*5 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has been working to improve the accuracy of hull-block finishing and reducing the number of assembly operations for other blocks while mounted at the dock, aiming to establish a high-accuracy building method. One of the techniques we have introduced is hybrid laser-arc welding, which requires low heat and reduces welding deformation. In the past, this method has required a large initial investment, and it has not been popular in the shipbuilding industry, except at some European shipyards that specialize in passenger ships. We have developed a procedure that requires simple equipment and can be used while following conventional shipbuilding procedures. This method, which has already been applied to general commercial ships, is described below. |1. Introduction A high-accuracy building method for general commercial ships is expected to reduce the time required to build a ship and improve the product quality. The method is expected to be an effective response to the intensifying competition from Korean and Chinese shipbuilders. To realize our goal, welding deformation needs to be reduced. We therefore considered the possibility of employing hybrid laser-arc welding in shipbuilding, which substantially reduces welding deformation. This welding method, which combines the advantages of laser welding and arc welding, was developed in the 1990s mainly by European ship builders and the Classification Society.
    [Show full text]
  • An Unreal Reality Pushes Fusion Science Jet – the Most Successful Performance in Years How to Tame Plasma Turbulence
    FUSION IN EUROPE NEWS & VIEWS ON THE PROGRESS OF FUSION RESEARCH AN UNREAL REALITY PUSHES FUSION SCIENCE JET – THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE IN YEARS HOW TO TAME PLASMA TURBULENCE 4 2016 FUSION IN EUROPE 4 2016 Contents Delphine Keller from EURO­ fusion’s French Research Unit Moving Forward CEA is dressed for a jump into the virtual fusion world. Glas­ 3 A European fusion programme to be proud of ses, immersive headsets and motion trackers allow her to 4 The most successful performance in years study the interior of a tokamak. Picture: CEA 6 An unreal reality pushes fusion science 10 IAEA awards EUROfusion’s work 12 Impressions Research Units 14 COMPASS has changed its point of view 18 How to tame plasma turbulence 18 21 Mix it up! The simulation of electrostatic potential along 22 News the torus lines inside a fusion experiment. These experiments help to find origins of plasma turbulence.. Community Picture: GYRO/General Atomics 24 Supernovae in the lab – powered by EUROfusion 28 Pushing the science beyond fusion 30 Young faces of fusion – Robert Abernethy 12 Fuel for Thought Who says operators at the Czech tokamak 33 Combining Physics and Management Forces COMPASS don’t have a sense Perspectives of humour? – More amusing details from fusion on page 12 and 13. 34 Summing Up Picture: EUROfusion EUROfusion © Tony Donné (EUROfusion Programme Manager) Imprint Programme Management Unit – Garching 2016. FUSION IN EUROPE Boltzmannstr. 2 This newsletter or parts of it may not be reproduced ISSN 1818­5355 85748 Garching / Munich, Germany without permission. Text, pictures and layout, except phone: +49-89-3299-4128 where noted, courtesy of the EUROfusion members.
    [Show full text]
  • Guide to Starting a Laser Cutting Business Everything You Need to Know About What Makes Laser Cutting How to Start a Laser Cutting Business an Excellent Prospect?
    WWW.THUNDERLASERUSA.COM GUIDE TO STARTING A LASER CUTTING BUSINESS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT MAKES LASER CUTTING HOW TO START A LASER CUTTING BUSINESS AN EXCELLENT PROSPECT? here big brand names were once a sign of In advertising and marketing, companies have been laser cutting business is a versatile prospect due to individuals and small companies now having access Wsuperiority, consumers are now moving towards aware for a while that an emotional bond is vital for A to the latest technology. Laser cutters were previously only available as large-scale industrial tools to small-batch artisan products. People are tired of getting buyers to part with their cash. As such, the etch, engrave or cut various materials. However, the demand for small laser cutting machines that fit inside mass-produced uniformity, and they’re looking for demand for customized products and services from your home has increased in recent years. products to express their individuality. small- to medium-sized producers is high. This is why it’s now a better time than ever before to start your People perceive that independent producers deliver own company. higher quality and make it easier for them to find a NO PREVIOUS message they identify closely with. A laser cutting If you manage to capture consumers’ imagination, LOW COST EXPERIENCE REQUIRED ADAPTABLE business lets you capitalize on this growing trend your small enterprise will grow and grow. with minimal upfront costs. As a start-up, the initial costs If you’re a creative type, you The bonus of running a laser of setting up your laser cutting might produce your own engraving, cutting and etching business are low compared products and designs from business is how easy it is to to many other enterprises.
    [Show full text]
  • A Deep Ultraviolet Mode-Locked Laser Based on a Neural Network Haoyuan Lu1, Hao Xu1, Jianye Zhao1* & Dong Hou2*
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN A Deep Ultraviolet Mode-locked Laser Based on a Neural Network Haoyuan Lu1, Hao Xu1, Jianye Zhao1* & Dong Hou2* Deep ultraviolet lasers based on the phenomenon of mode-locking have been used widely in many areas in recent years, for example, in semiconductors, the environment and biomedicine. In the development of a mode-locked deep ultraviolet laser, one of the most important aspects is to optimize the multiple parameters of the complex system. Traditional optimization methods require experimenters with more optimization experience, which limits the wide application of the lasers. In this study, we optimize the deep ultraviolet mode-locked laser system using an online neural network to solve this problem. The neural network helps us control the position of the crystal, the length of the cavity, the position of the focusing lens and the temperature of the frequency doubling crystal. We generate a deep ultraviolet mode-locked laser with a power of 18 mW and a spectral center at 205 nm. This result is greatly improved compared to previous results with the same pump power. This technology provides a universal solution to multiparameter problems in the optimization of lasers. Deep ultraviolet (DUV) lasers have many practical applications in many felds. Almost all materials have a spec- tral fngerprint in the ultraviolet range1–8 (especially at 30–200 nm). With increasing attention on deep ultraviolet ellipsometry and more research on the interactions between DUV lasers and matter, the application of deep ultraviolet spectroscopy has spread from various felds of biomedicine9–12 to the creation of novel functional materials13–17.
    [Show full text]